Football | ESU Bulletin

Hornet football wins first game of season

Written by Bulletin Staff
Thursday, 29 September 2011 09:43
No Comments

Hornets linebacker Kamrhan Jones attempts to tackle a Lions ball carrier Sunday afternoon at Welch stadium. ESU defeated Langston with a final score of 35-7. Chris Franklin/The Bulletin

Marking their first win of the season, the Hornets beat the Langston, Okla. Lions by a score of 35-7 at Welch Stadium last Saturday. Emporia State jumped out to an early lead and never looked back.

“It’s long overdue,” said junior quarterback Tyler Eckenrode. “It feels great to come out on top today.”

Early on, the defense stepped up and forced a fumble on the Langston 13 yard line. But the offense was only able to get three points as freshman kicker Zane Guadagnolo connected on a field goal from 31 yards away. The defense proved stout en route to forcing six turnovers. With the Lions trapped on their own one-yard line, the defense forced a safety, which stretched the lead to 5-0, and gave the Hornets the ball.

“Our defense did a great job, for the first time, being opportunistic,” said Garin Higgins, head coach. “They made the best of their opportunities.”

The defense continued its dominance when they came up with a crucial stop against Langston on a fake punt attempt to take over possession at the opponents’ 22 yard line. This eventually led to a nine-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Shjuan Richardson, stretching the lead to 18-0. The defense finished off the second quarter with a string of three excellent defensive interceptions that culminated three more points.

“I was very disappointed in how we executed (offensively) in the red zone,” Higgins said. “We had some dropped balls, had some missed throws and had some protection break down. We have to improve on that.”

At the beginning of the second half, Langston marched down the field, threatening to score when senior linebacker Ben Carlson came up with an interception to swing the momentum back to the Hornets.

“(The interception) really was huge,” Carlson said. “They were driving and looking like they were going to score. Coach called some great pass coverage and we just executed it.”

The Hornets took advantage of the interception driving 55 yards and scoring a touchdown. Eckenrode hit Lion senior running back LeDarrian Page on a 21 yard touchdown strike that pushed the lead to 28-0. The Hornets put the game out of reach.

In the fourth quarter, after a long drive by Langston, the defense held strong on a fourth and goal to keep the Lions out of the end zone. The Hornets got a sack and a forced fumble as time expired.

“Today was a good day,” said defensive coordinator Bryce Saia. “We need to keep building… and from here on out, be a consistent defense like I know we can.”

The Hornets’ next opponent is the eighth ranked Washburn Ichabods in the Turnpike Tussle. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. this Saturday at Welch Stadium.

Marcus Hix

Hornets fall short against UCM

Written by Bulletin Staff
Thursday, 22 September 2011 14:56
No Comments

Senior running back Dasor Horton is tackled from both sides during the first home game against Central Missouri last Saturday. The Hornets lost, 38-45. Jon Coffey/The Bulletin

The Emporia State football team lost its home opener against 24th ranked Central Missouri last Saturday at Welch Stadium.

But Hornet fans showed great support as there was a huge turnout to watch the team. In a close, back-and-forth contest, the Hornets were edged out by a score of 38-45.

“We are beating ourselves,” said senior running back Dasor Horton. “We have to be able to finish games and have to play more soundly as a team.”

The Hornets captured the momentum early when they successfully completed an onside kick to open the game.

“We noticed that they were lining up their special teams outside of the hash marks,” said head coach Garrin Higgins. “We wanted to try it early on.”

Taking advantage of the onside kick, the Hornets drove right down the field to set up a field goal attempt. UCM blocked the attempt.

On the ensuing possession, junior defensive back Kevin Gettis once again captured the momentum for the Hornets as he intercepted a UCM pass. Then, senior running back LaDarrian Page broke a 50-yard touchdown run. The Hornets led 7-3 at the end of the first quarter.

In the second quarter, junior quarterback Tyler Eckenrode, got the Hornets on the board again with a two-yard touchdown run to put the Hornets ahead 14-3. ESU continued to move the ball efficiently when Eckenrode hit junior wide receiver Shjuan Richardson on a 62-yard touchdown strike to give the Hornets the lead, 21-10.

“The coaches noticed a weakness in (UCM’s) defense,” Eckenrode said. “Shjuan ran a good route and I was able to get it to him. From there, he did the rest.”

At the end of the first half, the Hornets were ahead 21-17, allowing UCM to keep the score close. Several times in the first half, the Hornets were able to seize the momentum but could never stretch the lead.

The Hornets opened the second half impressively. They marched the length of the field on a nine play, 80-yard drive that culminated with a 20-yard touchdown run by Dasor Horton, stretching the lead to 28-17 with 11 minutes left in the third quarter.

The Hornets then held UCM to a three and out, forcing them to punt the ball. To start the next drive Eckenrode threw a 69-yard touchdown bomb to wide receiver Shjuan Richardson, putting the Hornets ahead 35-17.

It looked as if the Hornets had delivered the knockout blow, but a scrappy UCM team would not fall. UCM tied the score at 38-38 with a little over 10 minutes remaining in the game, eventually taking the lead 38-45 with about two minutes remaining. The Hornets were unable to recover turning the ball over twice on their last two possessions.

“We put it together offensively today,” Higgins said. “We need to execute better there at the end. We need to go get a win.”

The Hornets will face Langston University at 1 p.m. this Saturday at Welch Stadium.

Marcus Hix

Sport Shorts

Written by Bulletin Staff
Thursday, 15 September 2011 10:14
No Comments

Volleyball goes 0-2 in Missouri

The Hornets traveled to Warrensburg, Mo. on Saturday to compete in the UCM Peggy Martin Classic. The Hornets lost 0-3 to #3 ranked Tampa. Katie Deutschmann, led the way with 14 kills, four assists and five digs. Meg Schwartz continued her double-digit dig matches, finishing with 17 and stretching the current streak to 12.

In the second match, the Hornets fought hard in the 2-3 loss against #4 ranked Azusa Pacific. The team showed some serious heart after being down 2 matches to 0. Brianna Kaiser had a career night with 15 kills and 27 digs, which is her second double-double in 3 matches. Amanda Gerety also had 56 assists.

Football loses to #25 ranked Pittsburg State

The football team had a promising start Saturday night against Pittsburgh State, jumping out to a 7-0 lead in the first quarter. The lead quickly diminished as the Hornets had three turnovers and 15 penalties in the 14-38 loss. Senior running back Dasor Horton led the rushing attack with 11 carries for 49 yards, while junior defensive back Derek Lohmann led the way with 10 tackles, including one tackle for loss. The Hornets look ahead to this week’s game against the #12 ranked Central Missouri.

Women’s soccer earns first shut out of season

The women’s soccer team traveled to Wayne State in Nebraska on Tuesday. They came away with a 0-0 tie and their first shut out of the season.

It has been almost a full year since the Hornets held a team scoreless in a match. The Hornets had four shots on goal. Nikki Schmitz earned her first shut out of the season, the second of her career. So far this season, she has only allowed one goal in nearly 200 minutes of soccer.

Changing the landscape of Hornet football

Written by Bulletin Staff
Thursday, 08 September 2011 12:50
No Comments

The Emporia State football team opened up its regular season against rival Fort Hays State. The Hornets lost 17-27, falling short in a close contest.

Although ESU led by a score of 17-7 in the third quarter, they failed to finish off the Tigers in the fourth quarter.

Even though the Hornets lost the season opener, the team proved they will be a force to reckon with in the league.

But in last week’s game, the Hornets did not capitalize when it was needed most. The team committed three turnovers in the fourth quarter, which is the most crucial point in the game. This not only allowed the Tigers to stay close, but it eventually cost the Hornets a game to a conference opponent.

To quote arguably the greatest coach in the history of football, Vince Lombardi, “It’s not whether you get knocked down, it’s whether you get back up.”

This is just one step in a long season for the Hornets. This team, under the guidance of coach Higgins, will be very successful and will not let this one game deter them from their overall goals.

ESU showed many signs of improvement from last season. The team out gained the Tigers in total yards 512-416. They also showed quick strike capability with a 64-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter. This is reason enough for ESU fans to be optimistic for this season.

“The greatest accomplishment is not in never falling,” Lombardi said, “but in rising again after you fall.”

All teams will falter at some point during the season. The Hornets have stumbled early on, but have plenty of room to improve.

The road will not get any easier for the Hornets with the next opponent being the Pittsburg State Gorillas. The Gorillas accumulated a 6-6 record last season.

However, one of those loses was to ESU, the final score being 17-14. Pittsburg State won their first game of the season over a good Missouri Western team 34-7. This game will prove to be a good challenge for the Hornets.

The Hornets will need to show their mental toughness, their ability to move forward and their capacity to learn from their mistakes. The next game will start at 7 p.m., Sept. 10, in Pittsburg.

Marcus Hix

Eckenrode brings experience, leadership to team

Written by Bulletin Staff
Thursday, 01 September 2011 12:14
No Comments

Courtesy photo from ESU athletic department.

The Hornets football team will see many familiar faces this season, including junior quarterback and team captain, Tyler Eckenrode.

Eckenrode said his passion came from his first year of tackle football in the fifth grade, and his love for the game has evolved ever since.

“I played my first year of tackle football in the fifth grade, and have been involved ever since,” Eckenrode said. “I grew up watching my Uncle play football for Southwest Baptist, and since then I knew I wanted to play football.”

Eckenrode is originally from Houston, Texas, where he began playing football. He competed in both football and baseball in high school and achieved success in earning honorable mention, academic all-state honors while leading his team to the thirteenth consecutive Texas 5A playoffs. He threw for 1,580 yards and 11 touchdowns his senior year.

“We finally have a guy who is steady,” said head coach Garin Higgins. “He knows how to prepare for the game and does everything we ask of him. I can trust him.”

Last season, Eckenrode had an impressive year in which he threw for over 1,100 yards and 12 touchdowns, including a solid outing against Northwest Missouri State. He totaled 207 yards passing with 2 touchdown passes, while he added another touchdown on the ground.

“He’s a smart, calm and composed quarterback,” said senior offensive lineman Ben McKaig. “He is such a good decision maker and is really good at getting the ball to our playmakers.”

Eckenrode believes this season will have many successes due to the camaraderie of the football team, and said the team is clicking on all cylinders.

“We have a good solid group of returning players this season,” Eckenrode said. “Both the offense and defense are playing well together. We have some talent and can’t wait to get out there and compete this season.”

Marcus Hix

Football coach has long history as Hornet

Written by Bulletin Staff
Thursday, 01 September 2011 12:10
No Comments

Courtesy photo from ESU athletic department.

Although this year marks Garin Higgins’ fifth season as head football coach, he has been a Hornet for more than 20 years, and he was even a four-year letterman under former Emporia State football coach Larry Kramer.

“(Kramer) taught me about being tough and how to handle adversity,” Higgins said. “I always thought that if you could play for Coach Kramer and make it through four years, I could handle any obstacle in life.”

In his first four seasons as the Hornet’s head coach, Higgins compiled a record of 14-30. He is confident that the team is in the process of reversing the trend.

“It’s truly a blessing to come back home,” Higgins said. “It is a big challenge because expectations are high. We are doing everything in our power, the things we can control, to get the program headed in the right direction.”

When Higgins played football for ESU, he helped lead the 1989 Hornets to a national runner-up finish. He has been a part of four teams that have played for or won national championships as a player, head coach or as a coordinator.

“He is a player’s coach,” said junior quarterback Tyler Eckenrode. “He cares about us as more than just players and helps us to succeed in not only football but life as well.”

His first head coaching position was at Northwestern Oklahoma State University where he amassed a record of 51-9 over five seasons. All five of those seasons, he coached his team to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics playoffs, with two national runner-up finishes.

“I have known all of my life that I wanted to coach football,” Higgins said. “Some people grow up wanting to be firemen or police officers, but I always knew I wanted to coach football.”

Higgins said he grew up in what he calls a “coaching family.”

“My dad coached for 30 years and I was a field rat,” Higgins said. “I followed him around everywhere just trying to be around football.”

The rest of the coaching staff said they are confident in Higgins’ ability to bring back the “winning tradition” of ESU football.

“Coach brings composure,” said defensive line assistant coach and former MIAA all-conference linebacker Nathan Linsey. “He gets the most out of his players (and) he is a hard worker… the players know that if they listen to Coach Higgins that the desired results will come.”

The Hornets will face the Fort Hays State Tigers in the first game of the season at 7 p.m. tonight in Hays.

Marcus Hix

Staff Editorial: Private Pigskin Party

Written by Bulletin Staff
Thursday, 01 September 2011 09:43
No Comments

Cartoon by Ellen Weiss

The Bulletin relies on many different sources for gathering story ideas and news tips to keep students up-to-date on campus and area events. Local establishments, as well as Emporia State, provide calendars of events, which we utilize on a daily basis. Via ESU’s events calendar on BuzzIn, The Bulletin learned of the football team’s talent show last Friday night, which was held in Albert Taylor Hall. Under the impression that it was like any other campus event we have covered, we sent a reporter and photographer.

Following normal protocol, the reporter called at 3 p.m. on the day of the show to let the football staff know she would be in attendance and to schedule an interview with some participants.

Upon arrival at the event the reporter conducted an interview before the show began. Once the interview was completed, the reporter and photographer took seats at the back of the auditorium and waited for the show to begin. A member of the coaching staff then approached them and was uncertain whether or not they were allowed to stay and said he would speak with the head coach when he arrived. When Garin Higgins, head coach, arrived, he said that the event was private and only for football players and that the reporter and photographer were not allowed to be there.

He suggested that he wanted the football players to be able to make fools of themselves and the coaches without others’ knowledge. He then, in a voice that the reporter described as “rude,” said there was “no story.” They were asked to leave.

This is preposterous. First of all, our reporter called ahead of time to “okay” The Bulletin’s presence at the event, which was held in a public venue, and therefore, there was no reason for Higgin’s offensive reaction. The situation was, in its entirety, silly.

To clarify, the staff of The Bulletin is not angry over the situation – we simply feel miffed. This is ESU’s football team. It is our own. One would think that these two campus organizations, the football team and The Bulletin, would work together in order to have a unified campus. But The Bulletin was rejected.

Obviously, the football team was worried about being portrayed in a negative light, however The Bulletin is a professional collective. It is our goal to cover news objectively – anything that was done during this talent show would have been represented in a fair and informative manner.

If the coaching staff felt that the event needed to be private, they could have made it so by not allowing it to appear on a publicly accessible website as a public event.

People want to know what fun things there are to do on campus, and they want to stay in touch with people that represent them abroad (see: the football team). There are many sides to all students here at ESU, and seeing the football team off the field and on-stage may have given students an opportunity to expand their view of the players as people.

The Bulletin exists to serve as the paper of record for all enrolled students at ESU and as an opportunity for students to gain experience in the newspaper field – not to make students or faculty look like idiots.

Staff Editorial

Opinion: A new hope?

Written by ShaneWilson
Thursday, 04 February 2010 18:01
No Comments

Shane Wilson

While National Signing Day was abuzz on national television networks around the country, ESU also got a taste of the action, as the Emporia State football team announced their signing day class yesterday, headed by 17 incoming freshman and seven transfer players.

At first glance, the class looks very impressive. Three 2-star recruits according to various recruiting Web sites (ESPN Insider, Scouts, Inc. and Rivals.com) and other notables are making their way to Emporia this fall to continue the Hornets’ rich football tradition. Some of the transfer players are already enrolled in classes at ESU, giving them a step ahead in the playing time battle.

The thing that impressed me the most about this signing class is the amount of players that were brought in who play non-skilled positions. It’s widely known that to build a solid football program, you have to start from the inside out.

You have to start with offensive and defensive linemen.

The big guys in the trenches add an element to a football team few people think about – stability. The offensive and defensive line serve the most unappreciated, overlooked, yet one of the most important roles for a football team, especially a young one. If a team has no one to protect the quarterback or stuff the run up the middle, that team is destined to fail.

Now it goes without saying, you simply can’t just field a team solely with linemen (although I’m sure some of them wouldn’t mind getting a carry or two every now and then). Skill position players are a valuable asset as well. I’d like to see a team try and field an extra-point team without a competent kicker…and you would have seen one this past season if you had watched an ESU football game.

But don’t fret – a kicker happens to be on this year’s signing list.

Quite a few of the incoming skill players are transfers from other institutions. This is great news for the Hornets faithful, as experience in these areas especially is always important. Experience is one thing this Emporia State team hasn’t had enough of recently, and an influx of talented, experienced players could turn this team into a well-led unit of football players.

Whether or not this class will produce on the field remains to be seen. However, each individual’s personal accomplishments on and off the field, on paper at least, have led them to the Emporia State football program. The Hornets’ coaching staff placed enough trust in these players to allow them to compete for a prominent role in their program, a role that can feasibly make or break this program and Higgins’ legacy at ESU.

We’ll have to wait until the fall to find out.

Shane’s World

Written by ShaneWilson
Thursday, 03 December 2009 15:14
No Comments

Shane Wilson

With the semester coming to a halt, I felt it important to take some time to talk about a couple of fall sports teams’ seasons.

Let’s start with football. It’s hard for me to look at the body of work the football team produced and be satisfied with the end result. A 2-9 season never looks impressive now matter how you spin it. Granted, there were a select few glimmers of hope – the season-opener win versus Southwestern Oklahoma State saw a young, invigorated team achieve early success and excite a naïve fanbase, and that nail-biter game against Central Missouri looked to send the Hornets on their way to a productive season, win or lose…or so one thought.

With the quarterback situation ESU dealt with this year, it’s really no wonder why the team faced so much adversity. I can’t imagine how any sort of chemistry was created with the offensive line having to listen to a different signal caller every other game, let alone how the team was supposed to have any semblance of an offensive rhythm.

But hey, sometimes that’s how things work in football – a player goes down and the next guy in line comes in, trying to make chicken salad out of chicken…well you get the picture.

I’m one of those few with high hopes for the football team next year. The younger players will greatly benefit from another year in the program, and although the team is losing a few key players, I’m sure Higgins is doing a heck of a job recruiting as we speak. Senior Danny McEvoy said that Higgins is the best recruiter he’s ever seen.

I’ll take his word for it.

On to volleyball. The team, riding high off their MIAA Championship from a season ago, didn’t fair as well this year. I know what you’re thinking: how can a team that finishes with a record of 29-5 not have done so hot? A simple answer. This team had the potential to do incredible things, things way beyond their second place finish in the MIAA and the first round loss of regional competition.

As far as the players themselves go, there were a few surprises. I’ll be frank – junior Ting Liu had an off year. She just didn’t seem to be the same setter she was a year ago when she garnered First Team All-MIAA and All-American honors. Fortunately for her and the rest of the team, Liu will have another year to prove her worth on the volleyball court.

On a different note, senior Arica Shepard was flat out amazing. Shepard will leave Emporia State as the school’s record holder in career kills, kills per set average, attempts, 20-plus kills matches and double-figure kill matches, along with being fourth all-time in digs. She also earned Third Team All-American honors in 2008 and was named Second Team All-American this year. A player like Shepard is one who will be remembered at White Auditorium for years to come.

A disappointing season aside, there were some highlights that showed some really encouraging things for the future of the program. Freshman Katelyn Schmidtberger showed flashes of great play here and there, and with a little time, will most likely become a solid contributor and leader for the team down the road. Another freshman, Caitlyn Murray, added some excellent minutes for the Hornets throughout the year and will see her playing time jump significantly in the coming years.

It was an interesting fall sports season, to say the least. There were a few ups and a few too many downs than I’d prefer. From a sports writer’s perspective, it’s easy to write about a winning team doing just that – winning game after game. But it’s when a team faces uncertain trials and tribulations that challenge us to search for positives in an environment full of the opposite.

Shane Wilson/The Bulletin

Football team hopes to end season strong against rival Washburn

Written by ShaneWilson
Monday, 09 November 2009 15:00
No Comments

Quarterback Andre Sloan-EL is pushed to the sideline by a Missouri Western defender Saturday afternoon at Welch Stadium. Hornets lost 6-29. Kellen Jenkins/The Bulletin.

The Emporia State football team will host the Washburn University Ichabods at 1 p.m. this Saturday at Welch Stadium. The Hornets, who have compiled a record of 2-8, 1-7 in the MIAA, look to avenge last year’s 6-14 loss against Washburn, in which the Hornets committed four turnovers and had a punt blocked.

The Emporia State-Washburn rivalry is the most played active rivalry in NCAA Division II – Saturday’s match will be the 106^th meeting in the series in which ESU leads all-time, 51-48-6. As of late, however, the Ichabods have taken advantage of the series by winning the last five meetings.

Head coach Garrin Higgins said he feels that the magnitude of the “Turnpike Tussle,” as the series is more commonly known, can be motivation enough for his Hornets.

“We know it’s a rival game – usually that in of itself takes care of getting our kids ready to play,” Higgins said. “Now we do have a lot of young football players that probably need to learn a little bit more about the rivalry than what they know about it, as far as the history of it. We’ll prepare like any other normal week, and I would think it being the seniors’ last opportunity and also an opportunity to win a big game, our kids would naturally have a good week of preparation.”

A win would end the season on a positive note for the Hornets, according to sophomore defensive end and elementary education major Daniel Webb.

“For the team, it (a win) would be tremendous,” Webb said. “Having the seniors go out with a win…and to get that final win so it kind of carries over into the off-season workouts.”

The road to the final game of the season for the Hornets wasn’t an easy one. Tough opponents, coupled with the hindrance of midseason injuries and illness have prevented the team from achieving some of their goals.

Webb said the team was well aware of the rough season ahead of them back in August.

“You never go into a season thinking, ‘OK, we’re only going to win two, three games,’” Webb said. “You’re going in this conference, and you know that each team is going to be very good…we’ve played tough teams week in and week out. That was expected that we were going to have to play tough teams, for sure.”

Higgins was incredibly optimistic about the team’s competitive schedule, but also noted that he couldn’t foresee some of the adversity that the Hornets have faced thus far.

“You always have high expectations to start the season, but you know, things like this happen, and what you have to do is just keep working, and our kids have been doing that, they really have been,” Higgins said. “I’m proud of how they’ve practiced each and every week, and we feel like we’re doing the right thing, we just have not been able to get over the hump. We know it’s going to come, and we know that we’re going to get it done – our players believe that, our coaches believe that.

It’s been a very frustrating – it’s been a very different year than probably we expected. Now we knew it was going to be tough, but just the things that have happened to us throughout the course of the year has been a lot of adversity.”

For Webb, the losing season isn’t something he wants to spill over into the off-season. Hard work and determination will aid in that effort, Webb said.

“We have a good group,” Webb said. “Each week we come out and work just as hard. We’re going to work hard this last week and this off-season and push ourselves harder. You don’t want this taste (losing) in your mouth season after the season, so I feel that it’s going to push the team extra hard in the off-season to push harder and go harder than we’ve been.”

Sophomore quarterback and recreation major Sheldon Smith said he is optimistic about Saturday’s game.

“We know that one (a win) is coming soon and this might be the one,” Smith said. “It’s a rivalry game, so you know we’re going to be pumped up for it.”

Higgins hopes to use this season’s experiences as a learning tool for his young team.

“I hope that the losing part of it doesn’t carry over, of course, but I think that what we do is we use it as something to learn from, especially from our younger kids,” Higgins said. “Hopefully we get a win Saturday to go into the off-season on a positive note.”

Shane Wilson/The Bulletin